News Spring 2006
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Turtle Bay News A Publication of the Turtle Bay Association Spring 2006 Vol. 49, No. 2 Keeping the Quiet: Issue Gains Momentum s in many Manhattan neighborhoods, the noisy bar scene’s in filing what is called an Article 78 appeal, after the S.L.A. granted impact on quality-of-life has been a Turtle Bay topic for a license to the disco bar last December, despite strong opposition Ayears. But recently, the issue has come to the forefront: A from Community Board 6 – which unanimously voted to oppose neighborhood group went to court to keep a disco bar from open- the bar “in the strongest terms possible” – and opposition from the ing on 46th Street; Assemblyman Jonathan Bing has introduced Turtle Bay Association, Assemblyman Bing and other elected of- legislation to overhaul the bar licensing process; and numerous calls ficials. The bar would be open until 4 a.m., a D.J. playing music are being made for changes to the composition of the State Liquor for up to 100 patrons and windows opening onto 46th Street. Authority, the agency charged with granting liquor licenses. The neighborhood group’s case is scheduled to be heard in State While noise problems in Turtle Bay are clearly less onerous than Supreme Court in mid-May. The TBA has filed a statement of sup- in many Manhattan communities, neighbors, particularly along port in the proceeding. Second Avenue, remain concerned. Here is a look at some of the At the core of the residents’ opposition to the Embassy is what issues, and what is being done about them – with perspectives from is known as the “500-foot rule.” Under law, an applicant whose residents, elected officials, police, the State Liquor Authority, and establishment falls within 500 feet of three or more entities with the bars themselves. liquor licenses must show that being granted a license is in the Neighbors Go to Court “public interest.” The proposed Embassy bar was within 500 feet In the area around 46th Street and Second Avenue, a coalition of of twelve entities with liquor licenses. And contrary to being in neighbors calling itself “Ban the Bar” has won a temporary restrain- the public interest, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer ing order to stop the State Liquor Authority (S.L.A.) from issuing a said recently that the Embassy would be in direct “conflict” with license to the Embassy disco bar, planned on the site of the former residents’ interests. Stringer, along with Assemblyman Bing, State Hsin Yu Restaurant. The neighborhood group turned to the courts, Senator Liz Krueger and City Councilman Dan Garodnick, spoke continued on page 6 TBA, Community Leaders Briefed on U.N. Renovation ne thing is for sure: the United Nations’ aging complex of buildings is in dire need of renovation. What is not so clear Ois just how the big world body is going to accomplish this massive, expensive and time-consuming project, called the Capital Master Plan, which was first announced more than five years ago. At two recent briefings sponsored jointly with the Turtle Bay As- sociation for the TBA Board and local community leaders, U.N. Assistant Secretary General and Executive Director of the Capital Master Plan, Louis Reuter, outlined the obstacles facing the United Nations in moving its plans forward. And to illustrate the seriousness of the refurbishment needs, attendees at the meetings were given a tour of the facilities’ inner workings, where exfoliating asbestos- clad pipes, antiquated switchgear and leaky rooftops were readily apparent. Built between 1948 and 1952 according to 1938 New York City building code standards, the buildings are long past due for renovation. One of the first signs of spring in Turtle Bay – the daffodils in the U.N. But obstacles remain, and so no work has yet begun. At the brief- Park. This year, the park is open to the public for the first time in five years. Hours: 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (See Newsworthy Notes, page 3) continued on page 8 TBA•224 E. 47TH ST. NYC 10017•212-751-5465•FAX 212-751-4941• WWW.turtlebay-nyc.org •[email protected] Mark Your Calendar Waterside Nears Showdown � Sunday, May 7 BY BRUCE A. SILBERBLATT Turtle Bay Street Fair he City Planning Commission held project containing a zoning floor area of Second Avenue from 43rd to 53rd two back-to-back hearings in late 5,120,000 square feet, a 13.5 ratio to the 212-751-5465 TMarch to consider the Con Edison site area and exceeding the highest in the � Saturday, May 13 Waterside redevelopment project. Crowds neighborhood. It includes underground Katharine Hepburn Garden Party of community residents, elected officials parking for 1,550 vehicles, a 57-story 1-3 p.m. and representatives of neighborhood groups combined office and residential building Dag Hammarskjold Plaza – including the TBA – packed the big Shot- (864 feet), and seven residential towers 212-969-8820; 212-751-5465 tenstein Center auditorium on 34th Street to ranging from 40 stories (528 feet) to 67 � Wednesday, May 31 voice their concerns, demanding a radical stories (836 feet). By comparison, the Children’s Puppet Performance downsizing from what the developer, Shel- Trump World Tower stands 861 feet and 10:30 a.m. don Solow’s East River Realty Company the U.N. Secretariat, 505 feet. MacArthur Playground (ERRC), is proposing. 212-751-5465 ERRC Wants Commercial Zoning (See story, page 4) The hearings, called scoping hearings, are To do this, ERRC would first, merge a one- held to consider what information should be � Saturday, June 3 acre lot occupied by a Con Ed substation 17th Precinct Street Fair considered when the Environmental Impact west of one of the four parcels on the site, Third Avenue from 43rd to 57th Statement is written about the development. gaining some 400,000 zoning square feet; 212-826-3228 Here is a look at the ERRC plan, the second, obtain an 850,000 square foot zon- � Saturday, June 10 community’s reaction, and a counterplan ing floor area plaza bonus from 3.4 acres of Outdoor Art Show proposed by Community Board 6 that has so-called park that is planned; third, retain High School of Art & Design been embraced by neighbors and elected 39th and 40th Streets, rather than returning 10 a.m.-3 p.m. officials alike. them to the city; and fourth, obtain 100 Dag Hammarskjold Plaza Includes Two Closed Streets percent commercial zoning, even though 212-969-8820 the project is 80 percent residential and � Saturday, June 24 The nine-acre site runs along First Avenue the area has had no commercial zoning Empire Autorama from 35th to 41st Streets and includes two previously. Classic Cars on Display streets that have long been closed by Con Clearly, ERRC wants 100 percent com- 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Edison – 39th and 40th Streets between First Dag Hammarskjold Plaza Avenue and the FDR Drive. Currently, the mercial zoning because residential zoning 646-932-0421 land is zoned manufacturing. would bar plaza bonuses and mandate build- ing a “tower on base” structure, compelling � Last Tuesday every month ERRC proposes an office and residential far lower buildings. The only way ERRC 17th Precinct Community Council might obtain a similar bonus is through Open Meeting, 6 p.m. inclusionary affordable housing, but the Sutton Place Synagogue TBA’s Cartoonist Dies 225 East 51st Street ERRC project calls for market-rate, luxury 212-826-3228 Walt McGovern, cartoonist for the Tur- apartments, not affordable housing. (No meetings July, August, tle Bay News for the past 15 years, died No Waterfront Access December) April 10. After a career as art director of The project calls for neither a school nor � Second Wednesday every month the advertising agency BBDO, and then as a cartoon illustrator for corporate cli- adequate retail shops, even though there Community Board 6 could be as many as 4,000 apartments Full Board Meeting, 7 p.m. ents, Walt volunteered to draw cartoons in the project. And forget waterfront ac- NYU Medical Center for the newsletter. His cartoons not only 550 First Avenue brightened its pages, but they also carried cess: ERRC’s plan ends at a 20-foot wall 212-319-3750 a message that helped solidify commu- overlooking the FDR Drive. The project’s nity support. One of his first cartoons in much touted 3.4 acre park, hemmed in by TBA Contacts: the early 1990s took on Peter Detmold tall buildings, would result in an enclave Phone: 212-751-5465 Park, which had become overrun with for residents, not a place for neighbors to Fax: 212-751-4941 dogs before the dog run was built. His enjoy. As for shadows, ERRC inadequately E-mail: [email protected] last cartoon, for the Fall 2005 newsletter, mitigates them by reshaping or re-orienting Web Site: www.turtlebay-nyc.org addressed the issue of noisy bars. the towers. Check our Bulletin Board: Walt is survived by three daughters and Community Board 6 has been heavily in- East side of Second Avenue, five grandchildren. He will be missed volved for several years. Last year, it met between 48th and 49th Streets, with ERRC’s architects, offering objec- on outside wall of the supermarket. by all of Turtle Bay. continued on page 5 2 Turtle Bay News www.turtlebay-nyc.org New Condos Rising Around the ‘Bay’ Plaza Decision Raises Concerns t least four high-rise condominium buildings are planned As the Turtle Bay News went to press, the Patio – the popular or under construction in the Turtle Bay community.